IOWA CITY

Johnson County voters may see bond referendum requests for nearly $200 million in next November’s election.

Following a heated Johnson County Board of Supervisors work session May 6, even that amount is not certain. Nor is the number of referendum requests.

At issue is a proposed new Johnson County jail and sheriff’s office that may cost $99 million to build on a property that the five supervisors have discussed in closed session while county attorneys work on legal agreements and costs.

The Board has commissioned studies and surveys, but remains divided on specifics ranging from the number of beds in a new jail to funds for affordable housing and public safety.

The county is also coming under fire from residents, and in the work session, from two University of Iowa students and City of Iowa City Councilperson Laura Bergus during a public comment session.

“There is not a location, there is not a dollar amount,” Bergus said. “This entire process feels very unserious, very very limited in the amount of input.”

A $99 million bond referendum may create nearly $15 million for affordable housing funds, but Supervisor Mandi Remington wants one-for-one dollar matching for public safety programs and Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz wants one-for-one matching in affordable housing.

“I have been very clear that any bond language should include affordable housing,” Fixmer-Oraiz said.

The doubling of a $99 million referendum would bring it close to $200 million, but Supervisors Lisa Green-Douglass and Rod Sullivan don’t want affordable housing needs in the same referendum as a request for a new jail.

“I am very much in favor of us moving forward with some significant affordable housing investments,” Sullivan said. “I just don’t think this is the time and place for it. I think that connecting these two things is a mistake. I think it will cause both efforts to fail. I think they ought to be deal with separately.”

Fixmer-Oraiz, sitting next to Sullivan, disagreed.

“I just think that Johnson County is the county that would actually pass something if it was together as opposed to separate,” Fixmer-Oraiz said.

Two previous referendums for a new jail have failed.

The Board also is not unified on a new jail’s size.

Remington said she would vote for a 92-bed facility, expandable to 100. Current plans call for a 120-bed facility, expandable to 140, which is 100 short of the 240 called for in a study, given Johnson County’s projected expanding population.

Remington and Fixmer-Oraiz have both opposed large expansions.

“If you do want to move forward with a facility that is not expandable in any way, like the one we are in now,” Sheriff Brad Kunkel said, “you are binding the hands of future elected officials and history will repeat itself. Any other time you build infrastructure, you have to build it for future needs. It would be irresponsible to deviate from that when you’re talking about a public safety building.”

Fixmer-Oraiz asked for a decision on bond language to be held off until a future discussion on affordable housing. With an August deadline of bond language, Board Chair Jon Green responded, “We’ve already waited too long.”

Facing a 2-2 vote, Green eventually opted on a new jail and affordable housing being “two separate matters.”

Bond requests still face formal board votes and actual bond language that will be assembled by the county’s legal bond counsel.

Poor Farm Center

Spratt Builders produced the winning bid for construction of a visitor center at the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm.

The area, which is located inside the dairy barn, will include display exhibits and a meeting area for tour guides and visitors.

Spratt’s bid of $53,245 was the low among five bidders.

Early Voting

Early voting begins Wednesday for the June 2 primary election, which will decide the candidates for the five new Johnson County Supervisor districts, in addition to state and federal mid-term offices.

Wednesday is the first day that mail-in ballots can be mailed and the first day for in-person voting at locations that include the Johnson County Auditor’s Office in Iowa City.

Democratic candidates for Supervisor include Vice Chair Lisa Green-Douglass and David Woodruff in District 1; Chair Jon Green of Lone Tree, Jessica Andino and Janet Godwin in District 2; current supervisors Rod Sullivan and V Fixmer-Oraiz in District 4; and current supervisor Mandi Remington and Joe Reilly in District 5. Sue Dvorsky of Coralville is running unopposed in District 3.

Three Republicans are running unopposed in the primary: Greg Erceg of Solon in District 1, Phil Hemingway of West Liberty in District 2 and Jennie Wunderlich of rural Kalona in District 3.

Board Action

The Board approved a 28E agreement for transit service to North Liberty in Fiscal Years 2027 and 2028.

The Board issued proclamations in honor of Foster Care Month, Historic Preservation Month and Older Americans Month.

Next meeting:

The Board’s next formal session is at 5:30 p.m. May 14. This is the monthly evening session that will include rezoning and platting applications, and public hearings.